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Solid / Hazardous Waste Program...
Program Employees:
Marlene McDanal - Solid / Hazardous Waste Specialist II
(promoted in October 2006)
Generation of waste is an unavoidable aspect of everyday
life. Domestic, municipal, and agricultural wastes all
contain constituents that can negatively impact human health
as well as the natural environment if not disposed of
properly. Containers retaining residues of paint,
antifreeze, and motor oils may leach into ground waters or
drinking water supplies and compromise groundwater quality.
Solid wastes such as discarded car batteries, refrigerators,
and air conditioners may contain toxins such as Freon and
sulfuric acid which may also contaminate ground waters.
Therefore, it is vital that these materials are disposed of
properly to protect human health and welfare.
Additionally, abandoned, leaking, underground storage tanks
present an ongoing threat to Reservation ground waters.
Tanks installed several years ago to store gasoline, diesel
fuel, or heating oil often begin to leak as the tank walls
degrade with age. Once ground waters and subsurface soils
are contaminated with fossil fuels, it is extremely
difficult to remove the contaminants and clean up the area.
Therefore, the Tribes have committed staff and funding to
address solid and hazardous waste issues on the Reservation.
The Solid and Hazardous Waste Program was established in
1991. The program currently has one part-time staff
position. The program received RCRA Demonstration Project
funds in 1995 to close abandoned underground storage tanks.
Since 2002, the program’s main focus is cleaning open dumps,
promoting recycling, completion of a solid waste management
plan, and hazardous materials inventory.
In June of 2004, the tribal council adopted a solid waste
management plan. The plan focuses on solid waste management
for the tribes and includes provisions to investigate large
scale recycling efforts to reduce solid waste.
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